Many of us have changed over to snow tires, raked the leaves (after they were covered in snow first) and closed up our houses for the long Calgary winter, from which we had a short reprieve of but a few months. Sometimes I wonder why we bother to take off the snow tires for the summer only to put them back on a few months later, but we diligently perform this activity twice annually.
When our furnaces start to come on more frequently (many of us don’t bother to turn off the furnace in Calgary during the summer months) we close up the house tight in preparation for the long cold winter months. This is the right thing to do of course, because we don’t want the air that we paid dearly to heat to escape so quickly. Of course all of it ends up escaping at one point or the other, but we want that to be as slow a process as possible, thereby increasing our home’s energy efficiency.
Now that we have trapped that air inside to keep us warm and keep the elements out, there is another consideration. We know that air in the home can be as much as 3 to 5 times more polluted than outside air (because the EPS told us so), so what can we do about this? Of course we could buy HEPA filters to take out particles including dust and mold spores, very fine particles at that. We can buy house plants that actually remove a certain amount of contaminants from the air.
The fact remains, however, that humans require fresh air to be healthy. You may be surprised to know that building codes for commercial buildings require a constant supply of fresh air in the order of 15 cubic feet per minute per person, while homes do not have the same requirement. Folks that follow my writing and website are aware that our homes inevitably contain contaminants such as mould spores, formaldehyde, VOCs and the like. We can endeavour to remove all of the sources of these contaminants, but in the real world that would be very difficult to do in short order, unless one is planning to raze their house to the ground, and start again with all new and healthy materials and furniture.
Most homes built today have a fresh air intake installed on the furnace, which is rated to bring in, depending on the house, 65 cubic feet of cold air from outside into your cold air return stream to the furnace. The furnace heats up this cold air stream and distributes the heated air to your home via the furnace ducting. You might be tempted to think: I have 4 people in my family, 4 times 15 is 60, so that is enough fresh air for me and my family. That is tempting, but the reality is somewhat different. First of all, the ventilation is only occurring while the furnace fan is running, which in the case of most homes, is while the furnace is on and heating the air. Very few people run their furnace fan continuously, even when heating is not occurring. So one method to continuously bring in fresh air is to leave the furnace fan running all of the time. But wait, there is a fresh air intake, but if my home is sealed up tight like many new homes are today, how does the stale air get out? Very good question, and a difficult one to answer. Some air may be getting out through exfiltration (the process of air loss through the building envelope), but in reality less than 65 cubic feet per minute is escaping. This means that while the furnace is rated to bring in 65 cfm of fresh air, in reality it is doing no such thing, unless at least one exhaust fan is running in your home. Normally the 65 cfm rating is designed to work in conjunction with one of the bathroom exhaust fans in a bathroom on the uppermost floor of your home. So, to get the required ventilation on a continuous basis, you would need to run your furnace fan continuously while at the same time running the top floor bathroom exhaust fan continuously. In fact, in many homes, there is a switch right next to the thermostat called a “Principle Ventilation” switch. This switch does exactly that – it turns on the furnace fan and the bathroom fan at the same time to ensure proper ventilation. To sum up, if you want to get the full ventilation capacity of your furnace air intake, then run your furnace fan continuously and the bathroom exhaust fan continuously, or simply leave your principle ventilation switch in the “On” position at all times.
But what if you don’t have a fresh air intake on your furnace? For the untrained eye, it may take some time to determine if you do or not. Go into your furnace room, and look for a pipe (normally insulated) that goes from an exterior wall to the cold air return of your furnace. In some cases, on your furnace you will see a tag that indicates the ventilation rate in cfm. If you see neither of these, then there is a chance that you do not have a fresh air intake. Do not confuse this with the “canister” intake that may be attached to the side of your furnace. This intake is designed only to bring in enough fresh air for combustion of the natural gas in the furnace. It is NOT intended to supply fresh air for the occupants of the home.
If you do not have a fresh air intake on your furnace, then getting fresh air into your home is a challenging task. You can run your bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans all you like, but there is no source for “makeup air”. In other words, the fans may only be serving to depressurize your house, with the only air coming in being through “infiltration”, the process of air leakage into your home via cracks and holes in the envelope. However, if you open a window while you run the exhaust fans, then sufficient makeup air should be allowed to come into your home. Therefore the second ventilation method is to continuously run a bathroom exhaust fan while leaving a window open, for those home that have no installed ventilation. You might be inclined to think that this method is much worse than the cold air intake to your furnace, but it really accomplishes the same thing, but in a less controlled manner. In both cases, you are letting in cold air from the outside, and exhausting heated air through the bathroom fan. The furnace intake will probably let in more fresh air due to the pressure of the furnace fan, but you could overcome that without the furnace intake simply by running two bath fans continuously with a window open. Another caution is to make sure that the window you leave open is not directly next to contaminant sources, such as your neighbours furnace combustion exhaust. And you want to make sure that there is a clear path from the open window to the exhaust fan. If there is a door in between that closes very tightly, then the air flow is not guaranteed. Also, if you open the window in the bathroom where the exhaust fan is located then you are likely only ventilating the bathroom, and not the entire house.
But wait, the rabbit hole goes deeper. According to Natural Resources Canada, for proper ventilation and a healthy home, our home should have 0.3 complete air changes per hour (approximately one full air change every 3 hours). To accomplish this, the average home would need in the neighbourhood of 100 to 150 cubic feet per minute of ventilation (depending on size and natural air leakage). This could be accomplished in most cases with the above-mentioned methods, but would result in a significant amount of heated air being exhausted with a corresponding amount of cold coming in.
There is a solution that provides the best of both worlds. One that will allow you to bring in fresh air, exhaust stale air, without losing the heat of the exhausted air. This requires the installation of a ventilation unit called a Heat Recovery Ventilator (or HRV for short). This device exhausts stale air from your home and brings in fresh air (with fans), and the heat of the air that is being exhausted is transferred to the cold air coming in from outside. In the situation where you are building a new house, you would run separate ductwork for the HRV to rooms such as the kitchen and bathroom. In an existing house that method can be complicated an overly expensive, so the installation makes use of the furnace ductwork to withdraw the exhaust air from the home, while supplying fresh air. While this is the most ideal situation for your home, and is guaranteed to improve the health of the occupants, it does come at a price. The HRV itself costs in the neighbourhood of $1000, plus the cost of any ductwork. Installation is another matter, and could run anywhere from $750 to $1500, depending on the contractor and the complexity of the installation. There are some cost savings of having an HRV though. Consider the savings in any health care, days missed from work, and no requirement to have a HEPA filter installed in your home. Would you put a price on your health?For many of us, the cost of an HRV is just out of reach, but we all need to have fresh air to remain healthy.
Therefore, in the absence of an HRV, please use one of the other methods described above to ensure a continuous supply of fresh air to your home. While there will be a small cost in the form of extra energy usage, keep in mind that most homes today are much more energy efficient and airtight than they were 20 years ago.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Friday, August 7, 2009
The many faces of toxic exposure
What are the different ways that toxins can enter our bodies? Through food and water that we ingest? Yes, this is a primary pathway, but also toxins get in when we breath, and through our skin. Once in the body, toxins are either stored in fatty tissues, where they accumulate, or they are eliminated as waste by the kidney or through sweat. As more toxins enter the body, the kidney is worked harder and harder, and the immune system is reduced overall. This can make us more susceptible to illness such as flu and cancer.
Food
Many of the foods that we eat contain toxins. Pesticides are applied to our fruits and vegetables, hormones are injected in the animals, chemicals are used to refine foods such as sugar and salt, and artificial substances are added to foods to preserve freshness, enhance flavour or sweetness.
The best ways to avoid these exposures is to buy organic, whole foods that are not packaged and have no additives. This of course is easier said than done, which is why I support the baby steps method. Take one or two foods that you eat regularly, bite the bullet and buy organic. The best foods to do this with are thin-skinned fruits and vegetables, meats and milk. The way I do this is to reduce the amount of meat that I intake, and buy organic meats only. I buy only organic peaches, plums and apples, but bananas I purchase are not organic.
Air
Much of the air that we breath is polluted with various substances. For example, if you use a high-exhaust range hood, and have fires frequently, then the exhaust fan could be pulling smoke and carbon dioxide from your fire into your home. When you spray your favourite tub and tile cleanser on bathroom surfaces, much of the cleanser is conveniently suspended in the air, ready to be inhaled by the nearest individual.
There are many ways to avoid breathing in chemicals, which mostly involves avoiding the offending products. I avoid purchasing new products whenever possible, and keep my house well ventilated and the air filtered.
Skin
For many years we have been told about the dangerous effects of sun on our skin. Yet we hear very little about the sunscreen that becomes absorbed into our bodies. Or how about the bug spray that you apply directly to your skin with the toxic chemical DEET. Our skin is not a barrier, and is permeable to many substances. Once I ran a painting business, back when oil paints were as common as latex ones. We used paint thinners to clean the brushes and rollers, dipping our hands in to this toxic soup on a daily basis. No wonder I have so many health problems today!
The less chemicals that we apply to our skin, the better, reducing our toxic exposure. Instead of sunscreen, try using wide-brimmed hats and thin, long-sleeved shirts. Don't forget that your body needs some exposure to the sun to produce that all important vitamin D.
Exercise
Exercising is one of the best ways to detoxify the body by eliminating substances through sweat. It also strengthens your immune system, and reduces stress levels. I can't stress enough the benefits of a regular exercise program. Start small and work your way up to a program that you can maintain. Exercise vigorously at least three times per week for half an hour each time. If you are concerned about this level of activity, of course consult your doctor prior to starting a program.
Food
Many of the foods that we eat contain toxins. Pesticides are applied to our fruits and vegetables, hormones are injected in the animals, chemicals are used to refine foods such as sugar and salt, and artificial substances are added to foods to preserve freshness, enhance flavour or sweetness.
The best ways to avoid these exposures is to buy organic, whole foods that are not packaged and have no additives. This of course is easier said than done, which is why I support the baby steps method. Take one or two foods that you eat regularly, bite the bullet and buy organic. The best foods to do this with are thin-skinned fruits and vegetables, meats and milk. The way I do this is to reduce the amount of meat that I intake, and buy organic meats only. I buy only organic peaches, plums and apples, but bananas I purchase are not organic.
Air
Much of the air that we breath is polluted with various substances. For example, if you use a high-exhaust range hood, and have fires frequently, then the exhaust fan could be pulling smoke and carbon dioxide from your fire into your home. When you spray your favourite tub and tile cleanser on bathroom surfaces, much of the cleanser is conveniently suspended in the air, ready to be inhaled by the nearest individual.
There are many ways to avoid breathing in chemicals, which mostly involves avoiding the offending products. I avoid purchasing new products whenever possible, and keep my house well ventilated and the air filtered.
Skin
For many years we have been told about the dangerous effects of sun on our skin. Yet we hear very little about the sunscreen that becomes absorbed into our bodies. Or how about the bug spray that you apply directly to your skin with the toxic chemical DEET. Our skin is not a barrier, and is permeable to many substances. Once I ran a painting business, back when oil paints were as common as latex ones. We used paint thinners to clean the brushes and rollers, dipping our hands in to this toxic soup on a daily basis. No wonder I have so many health problems today!
The less chemicals that we apply to our skin, the better, reducing our toxic exposure. Instead of sunscreen, try using wide-brimmed hats and thin, long-sleeved shirts. Don't forget that your body needs some exposure to the sun to produce that all important vitamin D.
Exercise
Exercising is one of the best ways to detoxify the body by eliminating substances through sweat. It also strengthens your immune system, and reduces stress levels. I can't stress enough the benefits of a regular exercise program. Start small and work your way up to a program that you can maintain. Exercise vigorously at least three times per week for half an hour each time. If you are concerned about this level of activity, of course consult your doctor prior to starting a program.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Health, Environment, and Buying
Many of us (including myself until recently) live a life that is disconnected from nature. The very nature that we depend on to survive. Numerous studies have confirmed the presence of unhealthy, even cancer-causing chemicals in our air, drinking water and soil. Yet we still don't make the connection between our lifestyles and those chemicals. The foods we eat are laiden with pesticides, and those pesticides end up as run-off in our lakes in rivers, damaging fish and other wildlife. We still believe chemical companies when they tell us that those chemicals are not unhealthy, even when the prevalence of cancer and other ailments is on a rapid ascent. If you have spent any time in a hospital emergency room lately, you have experienced first hand why something must be done.
However, the intent here is not to try to blame the companies. Let's face it - our desire to buy more and cheaper things has driven this to happen. We live in a capitalist society, with many people interested in amassing more wealth for themselves, and one way to do this is to operate factory farms, or manufacture goods in countries that have virtually no labour or environmental laws. The government has proven time and again that they are not willing to take action to protect citizens. Look at what they are up against: powerful companies with billions of dollars (much of which funds political campaigns in many countries.
While it is easy to blame the companies that are polluting, we can no longer claim ignorance about our consumption patterns and their impacts, and we can no longer wait for companies or governments to solve these problems.
We would be much better off if all of us could make small changes in our lives that would drive the change that is necessary. Every purchase we make is a statement of how committed we are to our environment, and social issues. If we are willing to constantly buy goods produced in other countries where labour and environmental standards are virtually non-existent, then that says something about our morals. We can no longer say that it isn't our problem, or use price as an excuse.
Jobs are fast disappearing in North America, due to our drive to buy ever cheaper goods produced elsewhere. We all know the result though don't we: the product is poor quality and we have to buy it again, and again, because it breaks down and we can't get them repaired.
Here is how you can make more responsible choices, and help to make a difference:
1) Try your darndest (I know this is hard) to buy as much as possible that is locally made. For example, I live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and was able to buy a car that was made in California. It is probably the closest place that a car is made to here. Cars in Canada are made further away, in Ontario. This supports jobs here in North America, and is more environmentally friendly.
2) Buy locally grown, organic food. Support your local farms, reduce the transportation impact of the food, and minimize the chemicals that will flow into our lakes and streams. This will improve everyone's health.
3) Drive less and take transit or bike whenever possible - oil companies have a lot of power through their billions, and they don't care about the environmental impacts of what they do. There are millions of gallons of oil accidently spilled in the ocean every year! Probably not good for the sea life!
4) Lobby your government to impose tarrifs on goods coming from other countries, to level the playing field, and preserve the jobs and the environment locally.
We can make change through our buying choices. Every time you buy something, think about the children who had to slave at $.50 per day to make it, while they are exposed to chemicals which are causing them to be sick. The chemicals used even in China can make their way here through water and air, so don't think that we are immune to the practices of other countries.
Enough waiting for others to make the right decisions - we have to do it ourselves!!! Let's show the world that we will act ethically responsibly.
However, the intent here is not to try to blame the companies. Let's face it - our desire to buy more and cheaper things has driven this to happen. We live in a capitalist society, with many people interested in amassing more wealth for themselves, and one way to do this is to operate factory farms, or manufacture goods in countries that have virtually no labour or environmental laws. The government has proven time and again that they are not willing to take action to protect citizens. Look at what they are up against: powerful companies with billions of dollars (much of which funds political campaigns in many countries.
While it is easy to blame the companies that are polluting, we can no longer claim ignorance about our consumption patterns and their impacts, and we can no longer wait for companies or governments to solve these problems.
We would be much better off if all of us could make small changes in our lives that would drive the change that is necessary. Every purchase we make is a statement of how committed we are to our environment, and social issues. If we are willing to constantly buy goods produced in other countries where labour and environmental standards are virtually non-existent, then that says something about our morals. We can no longer say that it isn't our problem, or use price as an excuse.
Jobs are fast disappearing in North America, due to our drive to buy ever cheaper goods produced elsewhere. We all know the result though don't we: the product is poor quality and we have to buy it again, and again, because it breaks down and we can't get them repaired.
Here is how you can make more responsible choices, and help to make a difference:
1) Try your darndest (I know this is hard) to buy as much as possible that is locally made. For example, I live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and was able to buy a car that was made in California. It is probably the closest place that a car is made to here. Cars in Canada are made further away, in Ontario. This supports jobs here in North America, and is more environmentally friendly.
2) Buy locally grown, organic food. Support your local farms, reduce the transportation impact of the food, and minimize the chemicals that will flow into our lakes and streams. This will improve everyone's health.
3) Drive less and take transit or bike whenever possible - oil companies have a lot of power through their billions, and they don't care about the environmental impacts of what they do. There are millions of gallons of oil accidently spilled in the ocean every year! Probably not good for the sea life!
4) Lobby your government to impose tarrifs on goods coming from other countries, to level the playing field, and preserve the jobs and the environment locally.
We can make change through our buying choices. Every time you buy something, think about the children who had to slave at $.50 per day to make it, while they are exposed to chemicals which are causing them to be sick. The chemicals used even in China can make their way here through water and air, so don't think that we are immune to the practices of other countries.
Enough waiting for others to make the right decisions - we have to do it ourselves!!! Let's show the world that we will act ethically responsibly.
Book Review - Green for Life
You may be familiar with the Gill Deacon Show, on CBC-TV. Gill has also published a book called "Green for Life - 200 Simple Eco-Ideas for Every Day". I like the red stamp on the front cover telling me its "only $13.50 to make a better world". It is a reasonable price for the information in the book. Has anybody else noticed that books seem to be quite a bit cheaper these days? Here in Calgary, Canada anyway.
Gill has an easy and laid back writing style, and makes many references to her kids, and you can tell that she has written this book because she is very concerned about their future (a sentiment that I whole-heartedly share). She argues that it is not that difficult to make changes in our lives that would significantly help the environment, and our health as well. There are numerous references to important information on how chemicals that we use every day are hazardous to our health. She is a proponent of living more simply, but not of getting rid of your daily conveniences.
The book is nicely laid out as a "How To" manual with titles such as "How to Make Dinner", "How to Clean the Dishes", and my favourite, "How to Have Sex". Each section of course has ideas on how to do these things more sustainably. Subject areas include eating organics, using alternative cleaners (including recipes for making your own cleaners), and healthy kids.
I highly recommend this book as a means to help you be more sustainable and healthy. It is available at chapters, online or amazon.
Gill has an easy and laid back writing style, and makes many references to her kids, and you can tell that she has written this book because she is very concerned about their future (a sentiment that I whole-heartedly share). She argues that it is not that difficult to make changes in our lives that would significantly help the environment, and our health as well. There are numerous references to important information on how chemicals that we use every day are hazardous to our health. She is a proponent of living more simply, but not of getting rid of your daily conveniences.
The book is nicely laid out as a "How To" manual with titles such as "How to Make Dinner", "How to Clean the Dishes", and my favourite, "How to Have Sex". Each section of course has ideas on how to do these things more sustainably. Subject areas include eating organics, using alternative cleaners (including recipes for making your own cleaners), and healthy kids.
I highly recommend this book as a means to help you be more sustainable and healthy. It is available at chapters, online or amazon.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Living with Chemical Sensitivity
There was a time when I was frequently getting colds and flus. In particular, one day I had cold/flu symptoms including runny nose, achiness, and fatigue. At first I assumed I was sick again, and was determined to just ride it out, when it occured to me that I had just cleaned the stainless steel dishwasher the day before with a spray cleaner that the previous resident had left in our house. I recalled that the last time I used this spray cleaner resulted in similar symptoms. This was the turning point at which I realized that I was sensitive to chemicals.
The chronic symptoms that were resulting from this sensitivity included:
Sore muscles and joints
Extreme fatigue
Headaches
Chronic Sinusitis
Difficulty waking up in the morning
Runny nose
Every day at work, by lunch time or shortly after, I would start to feel so tired that I couldn't work any longer, and in fact fell asleep on a number of occasions at work. At 30 years old, I thought that I was going to be ready for retirement in the next five years! At the time, it seemed like it was just the inevitable consequence of aging until the discovery of the cleaner that gave me the symptoms.
Thus I embarked on a journey to eliminate toxins from my life. This was a long and complicated journey, as I had no idea how many things contained various hazardous chemicals. I started with the household cleaners. First went the laundry softener, as the smells from these products was bothersome. All spray cleaners went straight to the hazardous waste depot, many to be replaced with hypoallergenic laundry detergent (great for cleaning the bathroom, believe it or not).
Natural scent-free hand soaps are an absolute must for me now, and I would never wear cologne or after shave.
Now, virtually cleaning product I use is natural and scent free and probably labelled hypo-allergenic. I no longer have a permanently clogged nose, or joint pain and rarely get colds or flus.
The chronic symptoms that were resulting from this sensitivity included:
Sore muscles and joints
Extreme fatigue
Headaches
Chronic Sinusitis
Difficulty waking up in the morning
Runny nose
Every day at work, by lunch time or shortly after, I would start to feel so tired that I couldn't work any longer, and in fact fell asleep on a number of occasions at work. At 30 years old, I thought that I was going to be ready for retirement in the next five years! At the time, it seemed like it was just the inevitable consequence of aging until the discovery of the cleaner that gave me the symptoms.
Thus I embarked on a journey to eliminate toxins from my life. This was a long and complicated journey, as I had no idea how many things contained various hazardous chemicals. I started with the household cleaners. First went the laundry softener, as the smells from these products was bothersome. All spray cleaners went straight to the hazardous waste depot, many to be replaced with hypoallergenic laundry detergent (great for cleaning the bathroom, believe it or not).
Natural scent-free hand soaps are an absolute must for me now, and I would never wear cologne or after shave.
Now, virtually cleaning product I use is natural and scent free and probably labelled hypo-allergenic. I no longer have a permanently clogged nose, or joint pain and rarely get colds or flus.
It is difficult to nail down a specific cause of my chemical sensitivity. It is probably a combination of having worked at a chemical company, using chemicals at home to preserve wood, drinking diet soda, and being exposed to many different cleaners.
Now I am better, but exposure to chemicals can definitely still bring the symptoms back. I have to maintain a toxic free zone around me all of the time to feel healthy, but hey, that is probably a good idea anyway.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
My Experience with Kidney Stones
Over the 2007 Christmas holidays, we drove from Calgary to Vancouver, through the snowy mountain roads, about 1000 kms of beautiful mountain scenery. Our Subaru AWD got us to our downtown Vancouver B&B safely and without mechanical difficulty, which is admirable for a vehicle that had almost 200,000 kms behind her.
We went from snow to rain, and more rain, with low hanging clouds that make you feel like a prison. I was the only one in our small family willing to go for walks in the cold rain that fell dutifully every day. Vancouver is a beautiful city, with lots to do, including visiting the aquarium, and historic Gas Town.
Once early rainy Vancouver morning, around 4 am, I woke up with a severe pain in my back on the left side. I thought that my appendix was going to burst or something. Luckily there was nobody waiting in the hospital emergency room that morning, and they must have seen me squirming in the waiting room, because they had me seeing a doctor within an hour (a miracle by today's standard). The doctor questioned me for a few minutes, and told me I probably had a kidney stone that was passing, and that it would be painful until it passes. They were going to put me on morphine, but I refused. I was just so happy that it was only a kidney stone, and that it would soon pass, that I didn't care about the pain, and I am not interested in drugs unless they are absolutely necessary. A CT Scan confirmed the 2 mm stone on the left side had entered the ureter.
Interestingly, about six months earlier I went to the local medical clinic in Calgary, with back pain on both sides. They did a blood and urine test, and said that it was probably muscle pain in the back. Unconvinced, I left there, and didn't do anything further about it.
After the stone passed on the left side in December 2007, I was starting to experience more and more pain. A call to the Vancouver hospital in an attempt to obtain the CT scan results was fruitless and ended up in an argument between myself and the woman on the other end of the phone. Anybody that has dealt with health care in Canada in the last few years would understand the reasons behind such an argument.
I finally went to my family doctor, and told her that I was experiencing pain in my back. She knew about the previous kidney stone, and responded, "oh, you have another kidney stone". She assumed that I must be passing a stone, and gave me some drugs to help me through the pain. However, this was a different kind of pain - not the same as passing a stone. The next step was an ultrasound, which revealed that there was a stone, but still in the right kidney, not passing through the ureter. Luckily I had made the decision not to take the drugs she had prescribed. This stone was almost one centimeter, and not likely to pass on its own. She referred me to a urologist in Calgary to deal with the matter.
The urologist appointment finally came about 3 months later, with my back pain getting worse all of the time. I was also by this point having difficulty eating, and had to cut many things out of my diet. I was losing quite a bit of weight. The urologist sent me for an x-ray in the building next store, with instructions to come back with the result. Amazingly, the x-ray was completed in a matter of minutes, with the results saved on a disk minutes later, and I was back in his office. He reviewed the results, and recommended lithotripsy, a procedure where they wack the stone repeatedly with sound shock waves to break it up (my family doctor told me it was a laser treatment, which is technically not correct). The advantage is it doesn't require any invasive surgery. As you might guess, the appointment for the lithotripsy was set for yet another 2 months, almost a half year from the time I saw my doctor the first time. By the way, the urologist never asked me any of my symptoms.
The lithotripsy was an efficient and easy procedure to go through. While it was painful, the pain was manageable without drugs, although the drugs are offered as an option. The entire procedure was less than a half hour, and the total time I was at the hospital was about 1 hour. The doctor said it had mostly broken up the stone, and that the fragments should pass within a matter of weeks at the most.
I gave up screening my urine after about a month, as nothing was passing. At first, I did feel better, I have to admit, but then the symptoms came back. One unusual symptom that I had been having for a long time was severe pain all around my teeth. My dentist told me that I had sensitive teeth to cold, but I suspected it was more than that. The pain sometimes occured after being out in the cold, but not always. It would last for about 20 to 30 minutes and was debilitating, and often led to a headache. After the lithotripsy, the back pain minimized, and the teeth pain went away, even in the cold.
I went back for the follow up appointment about 1 month later, and there was three fragmented stones still in the kidney. The doctor couldn't tell where exactly they were, so he sent me for a CT scan. It took about 45 days to get the scan, and another 30 days to see the doctor again. By this time it was March of 2009, and my back pain had returned and I was having a very difficult time eating, and still losing weight. I went into the hospital complaining of back pain, and they thought I had gall stones, and didn't believe that a kidney stone could be causing these symptoms. After waiting in the hospital emergency for 12 hours, they sent me a way for a test and told me that it would go to my family doctor.
I made an appointment with the family doctor, and she said she didn't receive the results, and that due to confidentiality reasons, the results wouldn't be sent over and she would have to request the results. Not sure why the other doctor said he would send them if it is not possible to do so.
A couple of days later, I had my appointment with the urologist, and told him that I was having lots of troubles with pain when I eat, and he thought I had a gall stone too! He wouldn't believe that a kidney stone could cause these symptoms. This time he told me that we could do another lithotripsy (not sure why I had to go through all of the tests to determine this), and the lithotripsy would be in three weeks. The procedure is coming up on Monday, April 13th, and I am crossing my fingers that this will be resolved once and for all, almost a year later!
Wish me luck!!!
We went from snow to rain, and more rain, with low hanging clouds that make you feel like a prison. I was the only one in our small family willing to go for walks in the cold rain that fell dutifully every day. Vancouver is a beautiful city, with lots to do, including visiting the aquarium, and historic Gas Town.
Once early rainy Vancouver morning, around 4 am, I woke up with a severe pain in my back on the left side. I thought that my appendix was going to burst or something. Luckily there was nobody waiting in the hospital emergency room that morning, and they must have seen me squirming in the waiting room, because they had me seeing a doctor within an hour (a miracle by today's standard). The doctor questioned me for a few minutes, and told me I probably had a kidney stone that was passing, and that it would be painful until it passes. They were going to put me on morphine, but I refused. I was just so happy that it was only a kidney stone, and that it would soon pass, that I didn't care about the pain, and I am not interested in drugs unless they are absolutely necessary. A CT Scan confirmed the 2 mm stone on the left side had entered the ureter.
Interestingly, about six months earlier I went to the local medical clinic in Calgary, with back pain on both sides. They did a blood and urine test, and said that it was probably muscle pain in the back. Unconvinced, I left there, and didn't do anything further about it.
After the stone passed on the left side in December 2007, I was starting to experience more and more pain. A call to the Vancouver hospital in an attempt to obtain the CT scan results was fruitless and ended up in an argument between myself and the woman on the other end of the phone. Anybody that has dealt with health care in Canada in the last few years would understand the reasons behind such an argument.
I finally went to my family doctor, and told her that I was experiencing pain in my back. She knew about the previous kidney stone, and responded, "oh, you have another kidney stone". She assumed that I must be passing a stone, and gave me some drugs to help me through the pain. However, this was a different kind of pain - not the same as passing a stone. The next step was an ultrasound, which revealed that there was a stone, but still in the right kidney, not passing through the ureter. Luckily I had made the decision not to take the drugs she had prescribed. This stone was almost one centimeter, and not likely to pass on its own. She referred me to a urologist in Calgary to deal with the matter.
The urologist appointment finally came about 3 months later, with my back pain getting worse all of the time. I was also by this point having difficulty eating, and had to cut many things out of my diet. I was losing quite a bit of weight. The urologist sent me for an x-ray in the building next store, with instructions to come back with the result. Amazingly, the x-ray was completed in a matter of minutes, with the results saved on a disk minutes later, and I was back in his office. He reviewed the results, and recommended lithotripsy, a procedure where they wack the stone repeatedly with sound shock waves to break it up (my family doctor told me it was a laser treatment, which is technically not correct). The advantage is it doesn't require any invasive surgery. As you might guess, the appointment for the lithotripsy was set for yet another 2 months, almost a half year from the time I saw my doctor the first time. By the way, the urologist never asked me any of my symptoms.
The lithotripsy was an efficient and easy procedure to go through. While it was painful, the pain was manageable without drugs, although the drugs are offered as an option. The entire procedure was less than a half hour, and the total time I was at the hospital was about 1 hour. The doctor said it had mostly broken up the stone, and that the fragments should pass within a matter of weeks at the most.
I gave up screening my urine after about a month, as nothing was passing. At first, I did feel better, I have to admit, but then the symptoms came back. One unusual symptom that I had been having for a long time was severe pain all around my teeth. My dentist told me that I had sensitive teeth to cold, but I suspected it was more than that. The pain sometimes occured after being out in the cold, but not always. It would last for about 20 to 30 minutes and was debilitating, and often led to a headache. After the lithotripsy, the back pain minimized, and the teeth pain went away, even in the cold.
I went back for the follow up appointment about 1 month later, and there was three fragmented stones still in the kidney. The doctor couldn't tell where exactly they were, so he sent me for a CT scan. It took about 45 days to get the scan, and another 30 days to see the doctor again. By this time it was March of 2009, and my back pain had returned and I was having a very difficult time eating, and still losing weight. I went into the hospital complaining of back pain, and they thought I had gall stones, and didn't believe that a kidney stone could be causing these symptoms. After waiting in the hospital emergency for 12 hours, they sent me a way for a test and told me that it would go to my family doctor.
I made an appointment with the family doctor, and she said she didn't receive the results, and that due to confidentiality reasons, the results wouldn't be sent over and she would have to request the results. Not sure why the other doctor said he would send them if it is not possible to do so.
A couple of days later, I had my appointment with the urologist, and told him that I was having lots of troubles with pain when I eat, and he thought I had a gall stone too! He wouldn't believe that a kidney stone could cause these symptoms. This time he told me that we could do another lithotripsy (not sure why I had to go through all of the tests to determine this), and the lithotripsy would be in three weeks. The procedure is coming up on Monday, April 13th, and I am crossing my fingers that this will be resolved once and for all, almost a year later!
Wish me luck!!!
Friday, March 6, 2009
10 Health Secrets of Successful People
10 Health Secrets of Truly Successful People – the hidden list.
You may be surprised to find out that successful people (SP) have very specific health habits. They take the time to educate themselves about what is good for them, and adjust their diet accordingly. Successful people know that they must prioritize their health as number one, because if they are unsuccessful at maintaining their health, they won’t be able to succeed in other areas. How do they know what is good for their health? They search the internet, read books, and come to their own conclusions by developing the skills to determine good information from bogus information. SP know that the key benefits to optimum health are improved performance and higher productivity. They know that through good health choices they become more efficient and effective. Here is the top 10 list of health habits practiced by successful people. Enjoy!
1) SP don’t drink alcohol or take drugs (not even medicinal ones)
To be successful, one must take care of their health, and one of the best ways to take care of your health is to stop drinking alcohol and taking drugs!!! While studies for years have been suggesting that it is good for your heart to drink a moderate amount of alcohol, a comprehensive recent “million women study” suggests otherwise. As it turns out, alcohol consumption may result in many types of cancer.
Aside from this obvious health effect, successful folks don’t like alcohol for two other major reasons. The problem with having a drink or two at the company function or sales outing with potential customers is the classic one drink leads to two, three, etc.. Inevitably alcohol plays tricks on your mind, reduces your inhibitions, and causes you to say whatever comes to mind, which may not be in line with what you should be saying.
Excessive drinking invariably leads to the dreaded hangover. How many times have you said “I’ll just have a few”, but end up drinking more and more, and feel like crap the next morning. Your response may be “But wait! I can just drink a few glasses of water and have an Advil, and I’ll feel fine the next day.” Talk about trying to put out a fire with gasoline. Advil is a toxin which adds to the workload of your organs, which must rid your body of it. “But wait, the hangover will only be temporary, and I’ll feel fine later anyway”, you say. Well, that sounds fine, but many people experience periods of depression while they are getting over their hangover, and these episodes can last as much as a day or two. A successful person doesn’t want to lose two days to hangover and potential depression, so they avoid alcohol for the most part.
I am not saying that successful people never drink at all, but the truly successful either learn how to drink just one or two and stop, or simply never drink. To be successful, time is important, and health is important too, so drinking is off the list.
SP know that drugs, even medicinal ones are really nothing better than a mask hiding a deeper problem. Now don’t get me wrong here. Some people need to take drugs for various reasons. As an example, my dad had his heart valve replaced with a metal one, and needs to take blood thinners to ensure that blood does not clot on the new valve. Many people take drugs for high blood pressure and cholesterol, but successful people know that sometimes these ailments can be managed through diet.
SP also know that if you have a cold or flu, and take a drug to hide the symptoms, and continue your day just as though you were not sick, that you will ultimately take longer to get over the cold or flu anyway. Since they think of long term consequences of their short term actions, they know that the overall prognosis of taking the drug is a negative one. They also know that through good management of all 10 items in this list, that they will significantly lower their risk of getting colds and flus in the first place.
I don’t want to go into much detail about the down side of taking mind-altering drugs as there is plenty of sufficient information out there to support the case for avoidance altogether. Successful people know this, and do not ever take these drugs.
2) SP don’t smoke
SP don’t smoke for a number of reasons:
- Smoking results in terrible foul breath and smoke smell on your clothes, and they don’t want to turn off potential customers or friends with their bad smell.
- They wouldn’t be caught dead slouching over a cigarette in a back alley, freezing their toots off.
- The obvious detrimental health effects.
3) SP minimize their caffeine intake and drink lots of water.
Successful people know that caffeine is a highly addictive, toxic drug, and that it is also a diuretic, which means that it dehydrates the body. They also know that caffeine increases your appetite, which can lead to over eating and weight problems. While it is difficult to avoid caffeinated drinks altogether, successful folks don’t drink soda, diet soda, energy drinks, and they minimize coffee and tea to a combined three to four cups a day. Instead, SP drink plenty of water, because they know that water is a good, natural healthy body. They drink a minimum of 2 litres per day, and sip it slowly as opposed to gulping it down quickly.
4) SP get enough sleep.
What do I mean by “enough” sleep? That depends on the person. Every person has their optimum amount of required sleep, which can vary also by age and amount of activity engaged in on a given day. For some people, 6 hours is sufficient, while others require as much as 10 hours. Determine how much sleep you need, and make sure that you get to bed early enough to be able to get that amount of sleep. Successful folks also know not to drink caffeinated beverages or to eat within a few hours of going to bed.
What is the best way to fall asleep if you are having difficulty? SP know that it isn’t a sleeping pill or a shot of whiskey. Meditation is the key. One very effective method is to imagine that as you are breathing in, the stress is being released from your body starting at your feet and ending at your head. As you exhale through your nose, imagine a white wispy cloud of stress being released from your nasal passages. With each breath in, the stress is travelling up your body, to be released through your nasal passages as you exhale. Try this while lying on your back, with a pillow under your knees, arms to your sides, and your thumbs touching one of your fingers. This relaxes your body and prepares it for sleep. Please note that once you are practicing all of the steps in this list, you will over time find that you are better able to fall asleep.
5) Develop superior eating habits.
This is by far the most important area of the successful person’s health. SP get to know their body intimately (you know what I mean), and are in tune with the foods their body likes and dislikes. For some people, dairy products cause problems while for others gluten or sulphites are the culprit. Your body will tell you explicitly what it doesn’t want. Sometimes it is a combination of food that your body can’t digest. Successful people listen to what their body is telling them, and adjust their diet accordingly. In some cases, they use elimination diets to determine what their body is adverse to. With this diet, all foods are discontinued except for a few - such as fruits and vegetables - to the point where they are feeling good. Other foods are slowly reintroduced into the diet, one at a time, until a food causes a reaction. The reaction usually comes in the form of a stomach ache, puffy/itchy eyes, irritability, excessive gas, skin rashes or fatigue. The food may also cause the throat to close up slightly while being consumed.
Once the offending food is determine, successful people stop eating it altogether.
Successful people cut through the marketing and latest studies, and stick to these fundamental principles:
I. Natural food is good food.
II. Processed food should be avoided.
III. Sugar, Salt, Alcohol, and Caffeine are toxic to the body.
IV. Milk and potato chips are not natural human food.
V. Foods that would have been eaten before industrialization make the most sense.
VI. Meats may be eaten, but only in small to moderate amounts.
VII. Fresh fruits and vegetables are always good, and organic is even better. Mix colours as much as possible, and spinach and broccoli should be consumed frequently.
VIII. Whole grains such as brown rice and whole wheat are much better than refined.
IX. Trust your instincts and not the latest and greatest study/marketing item/news item.
X. Listen to what your body is telling you.
XI The best way to avoid eating the bad foods is to not have them in your home.
6) SP Exercise regularly
Regular exercise is a key component in the life of any truly successful person. Exercise helps them feel more energetic, think more clearly, keep their weight in check, and remove toxins from their body through sweat. We are not talking about excessive exercise or becoming a competitive weight lifter. 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise, at least three times per week will be sufficient. Add about 30 minutes of weight lifting to that, and you have a good workout schedule that will take only about 3 hours of your time every week. How hard is that?
Here are some SP tips:
- Once you get over the initial internal resistance to exercising, you will actually enjoy it.
- Invest in a gym membership. Seeing others working out will keep you motivated.
- Slowly work yourself up to ideal workout intensity.
- Try new activities such as indoor rock climbing, or hiking, or walking, or hockey, or whatever interests you. Whether or not you find something, keep going to the gym on a regular basis.
- Work out prior to big meetings or any time you want to impress others. You will find that the workout will make you more attractive to others, and will make you almost appear to glow.
7) SP don’t put anything on their skin that they wouldn’t put in their mouth.
Successful people have done the due diligence and know that what they put on their skin is ultimately absorbed into their body. The kidneys are responsible to remove toxins from the body, and will have to work overtime to remove the additional chemicals that you apply. For example, successful people do not put the following on their skin:
- Bug spray
- Sunscreen (but they know to protect their skin from sun by minimizing exposure)
- Unnatural lotions
- Any chemical that they are unsure of.
8) SP eliminate potentially threatening chemicals from their life.
SP do not trust chemical companies or their marketing gurus. They know that in the past, too many chemicals have been judged as safe for use or consumption, or spraying in the air, or killing mosquitoes, or staining the deck, but turned out later under closer scrutiny to be unsafe. Many chemicals that are deemed safe for use in Canada were done so under the Grandfather clause. This means that when the new rules for chemical safety came into place, the chemicals in use were considered safe, simply because they were already in use. Go figure. SP know that any chemical is a potentially dangerous one, and they avoid them at all costs. Some examples of chemicals that successful people avoid:
1) Formaldehyde
Commonly found in: cheap furniture made from press board; pink fibreglass insulation. Alternatives: Solid wood furniture, formaldehyde free insulations.
2) VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds)
Commonly found in: New cars (new car smell), plastics, carpets
Alternatives: Natural fibre carpets, hardwood
3) Petroleum products
Commonly found in: Air fresheners, colognes/perfumes, laundry softeners
Alternatives: Discontinue use of these products, or buy all natural ones.
4) 2, 4-D
Commonly found in: Pesticides
Alternatives: Natural pest control methods
5) Ammonia and other cleaning chemicals
Commonly found in: Bathroom cleaners, stainless steel cleaners
Alternatives: Natural and hypoallergenic cleaners
9) SP read at least one book per week and lots of self help books.
SP know that knowledge is power, and that knowledge is health. They read about the latest and greatest health advice, but with a critical eye, and they don’t believe every article they read. They absorb the information, and connect it with other information they have read and formulate their own opinions.
Bonus: SP attend courses and read many self help books and take something important away from every book they read and every person they meet. They read with an open mind and a critical eye, knowing that continuous learning is important to success and life, and read with vigour and engaged interest.
10) Focus on work/life balance and relationships
SP know that good quality relationships lead to longer and higher quality of life. They also know that many acquaintances do not equal one good friend, and they work hard to maintain those friendships. A friend is someone they can confide in and trust, and everyone needs to have somebody in their life they can trust. To maintain these quality relationships, SP work smarter and not harder, and use the remaining time to focus on family and friends.
You may be surprised to find out that successful people (SP) have very specific health habits. They take the time to educate themselves about what is good for them, and adjust their diet accordingly. Successful people know that they must prioritize their health as number one, because if they are unsuccessful at maintaining their health, they won’t be able to succeed in other areas. How do they know what is good for their health? They search the internet, read books, and come to their own conclusions by developing the skills to determine good information from bogus information. SP know that the key benefits to optimum health are improved performance and higher productivity. They know that through good health choices they become more efficient and effective. Here is the top 10 list of health habits practiced by successful people. Enjoy!
1) SP don’t drink alcohol or take drugs (not even medicinal ones)
To be successful, one must take care of their health, and one of the best ways to take care of your health is to stop drinking alcohol and taking drugs!!! While studies for years have been suggesting that it is good for your heart to drink a moderate amount of alcohol, a comprehensive recent “million women study” suggests otherwise. As it turns out, alcohol consumption may result in many types of cancer.
Aside from this obvious health effect, successful folks don’t like alcohol for two other major reasons. The problem with having a drink or two at the company function or sales outing with potential customers is the classic one drink leads to two, three, etc.. Inevitably alcohol plays tricks on your mind, reduces your inhibitions, and causes you to say whatever comes to mind, which may not be in line with what you should be saying.
Excessive drinking invariably leads to the dreaded hangover. How many times have you said “I’ll just have a few”, but end up drinking more and more, and feel like crap the next morning. Your response may be “But wait! I can just drink a few glasses of water and have an Advil, and I’ll feel fine the next day.” Talk about trying to put out a fire with gasoline. Advil is a toxin which adds to the workload of your organs, which must rid your body of it. “But wait, the hangover will only be temporary, and I’ll feel fine later anyway”, you say. Well, that sounds fine, but many people experience periods of depression while they are getting over their hangover, and these episodes can last as much as a day or two. A successful person doesn’t want to lose two days to hangover and potential depression, so they avoid alcohol for the most part.
I am not saying that successful people never drink at all, but the truly successful either learn how to drink just one or two and stop, or simply never drink. To be successful, time is important, and health is important too, so drinking is off the list.
SP know that drugs, even medicinal ones are really nothing better than a mask hiding a deeper problem. Now don’t get me wrong here. Some people need to take drugs for various reasons. As an example, my dad had his heart valve replaced with a metal one, and needs to take blood thinners to ensure that blood does not clot on the new valve. Many people take drugs for high blood pressure and cholesterol, but successful people know that sometimes these ailments can be managed through diet.
SP also know that if you have a cold or flu, and take a drug to hide the symptoms, and continue your day just as though you were not sick, that you will ultimately take longer to get over the cold or flu anyway. Since they think of long term consequences of their short term actions, they know that the overall prognosis of taking the drug is a negative one. They also know that through good management of all 10 items in this list, that they will significantly lower their risk of getting colds and flus in the first place.
I don’t want to go into much detail about the down side of taking mind-altering drugs as there is plenty of sufficient information out there to support the case for avoidance altogether. Successful people know this, and do not ever take these drugs.
2) SP don’t smoke
SP don’t smoke for a number of reasons:
- Smoking results in terrible foul breath and smoke smell on your clothes, and they don’t want to turn off potential customers or friends with their bad smell.
- They wouldn’t be caught dead slouching over a cigarette in a back alley, freezing their toots off.
- The obvious detrimental health effects.
3) SP minimize their caffeine intake and drink lots of water.
Successful people know that caffeine is a highly addictive, toxic drug, and that it is also a diuretic, which means that it dehydrates the body. They also know that caffeine increases your appetite, which can lead to over eating and weight problems. While it is difficult to avoid caffeinated drinks altogether, successful folks don’t drink soda, diet soda, energy drinks, and they minimize coffee and tea to a combined three to four cups a day. Instead, SP drink plenty of water, because they know that water is a good, natural healthy body. They drink a minimum of 2 litres per day, and sip it slowly as opposed to gulping it down quickly.
4) SP get enough sleep.
What do I mean by “enough” sleep? That depends on the person. Every person has their optimum amount of required sleep, which can vary also by age and amount of activity engaged in on a given day. For some people, 6 hours is sufficient, while others require as much as 10 hours. Determine how much sleep you need, and make sure that you get to bed early enough to be able to get that amount of sleep. Successful folks also know not to drink caffeinated beverages or to eat within a few hours of going to bed.
What is the best way to fall asleep if you are having difficulty? SP know that it isn’t a sleeping pill or a shot of whiskey. Meditation is the key. One very effective method is to imagine that as you are breathing in, the stress is being released from your body starting at your feet and ending at your head. As you exhale through your nose, imagine a white wispy cloud of stress being released from your nasal passages. With each breath in, the stress is travelling up your body, to be released through your nasal passages as you exhale. Try this while lying on your back, with a pillow under your knees, arms to your sides, and your thumbs touching one of your fingers. This relaxes your body and prepares it for sleep. Please note that once you are practicing all of the steps in this list, you will over time find that you are better able to fall asleep.
5) Develop superior eating habits.
This is by far the most important area of the successful person’s health. SP get to know their body intimately (you know what I mean), and are in tune with the foods their body likes and dislikes. For some people, dairy products cause problems while for others gluten or sulphites are the culprit. Your body will tell you explicitly what it doesn’t want. Sometimes it is a combination of food that your body can’t digest. Successful people listen to what their body is telling them, and adjust their diet accordingly. In some cases, they use elimination diets to determine what their body is adverse to. With this diet, all foods are discontinued except for a few - such as fruits and vegetables - to the point where they are feeling good. Other foods are slowly reintroduced into the diet, one at a time, until a food causes a reaction. The reaction usually comes in the form of a stomach ache, puffy/itchy eyes, irritability, excessive gas, skin rashes or fatigue. The food may also cause the throat to close up slightly while being consumed.
Once the offending food is determine, successful people stop eating it altogether.
Successful people cut through the marketing and latest studies, and stick to these fundamental principles:
I. Natural food is good food.
II. Processed food should be avoided.
III. Sugar, Salt, Alcohol, and Caffeine are toxic to the body.
IV. Milk and potato chips are not natural human food.
V. Foods that would have been eaten before industrialization make the most sense.
VI. Meats may be eaten, but only in small to moderate amounts.
VII. Fresh fruits and vegetables are always good, and organic is even better. Mix colours as much as possible, and spinach and broccoli should be consumed frequently.
VIII. Whole grains such as brown rice and whole wheat are much better than refined.
IX. Trust your instincts and not the latest and greatest study/marketing item/news item.
X. Listen to what your body is telling you.
XI The best way to avoid eating the bad foods is to not have them in your home.
6) SP Exercise regularly
Regular exercise is a key component in the life of any truly successful person. Exercise helps them feel more energetic, think more clearly, keep their weight in check, and remove toxins from their body through sweat. We are not talking about excessive exercise or becoming a competitive weight lifter. 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise, at least three times per week will be sufficient. Add about 30 minutes of weight lifting to that, and you have a good workout schedule that will take only about 3 hours of your time every week. How hard is that?
Here are some SP tips:
- Once you get over the initial internal resistance to exercising, you will actually enjoy it.
- Invest in a gym membership. Seeing others working out will keep you motivated.
- Slowly work yourself up to ideal workout intensity.
- Try new activities such as indoor rock climbing, or hiking, or walking, or hockey, or whatever interests you. Whether or not you find something, keep going to the gym on a regular basis.
- Work out prior to big meetings or any time you want to impress others. You will find that the workout will make you more attractive to others, and will make you almost appear to glow.
7) SP don’t put anything on their skin that they wouldn’t put in their mouth.
Successful people have done the due diligence and know that what they put on their skin is ultimately absorbed into their body. The kidneys are responsible to remove toxins from the body, and will have to work overtime to remove the additional chemicals that you apply. For example, successful people do not put the following on their skin:
- Bug spray
- Sunscreen (but they know to protect their skin from sun by minimizing exposure)
- Unnatural lotions
- Any chemical that they are unsure of.
8) SP eliminate potentially threatening chemicals from their life.
SP do not trust chemical companies or their marketing gurus. They know that in the past, too many chemicals have been judged as safe for use or consumption, or spraying in the air, or killing mosquitoes, or staining the deck, but turned out later under closer scrutiny to be unsafe. Many chemicals that are deemed safe for use in Canada were done so under the Grandfather clause. This means that when the new rules for chemical safety came into place, the chemicals in use were considered safe, simply because they were already in use. Go figure. SP know that any chemical is a potentially dangerous one, and they avoid them at all costs. Some examples of chemicals that successful people avoid:
1) Formaldehyde
Commonly found in: cheap furniture made from press board; pink fibreglass insulation. Alternatives: Solid wood furniture, formaldehyde free insulations.
2) VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds)
Commonly found in: New cars (new car smell), plastics, carpets
Alternatives: Natural fibre carpets, hardwood
3) Petroleum products
Commonly found in: Air fresheners, colognes/perfumes, laundry softeners
Alternatives: Discontinue use of these products, or buy all natural ones.
4) 2, 4-D
Commonly found in: Pesticides
Alternatives: Natural pest control methods
5) Ammonia and other cleaning chemicals
Commonly found in: Bathroom cleaners, stainless steel cleaners
Alternatives: Natural and hypoallergenic cleaners
9) SP read at least one book per week and lots of self help books.
SP know that knowledge is power, and that knowledge is health. They read about the latest and greatest health advice, but with a critical eye, and they don’t believe every article they read. They absorb the information, and connect it with other information they have read and formulate their own opinions.
Bonus: SP attend courses and read many self help books and take something important away from every book they read and every person they meet. They read with an open mind and a critical eye, knowing that continuous learning is important to success and life, and read with vigour and engaged interest.
10) Focus on work/life balance and relationships
SP know that good quality relationships lead to longer and higher quality of life. They also know that many acquaintances do not equal one good friend, and they work hard to maintain those friendships. A friend is someone they can confide in and trust, and everyone needs to have somebody in their life they can trust. To maintain these quality relationships, SP work smarter and not harder, and use the remaining time to focus on family and friends.
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